UN Disabilities Treaty Set to Fail in U.S.

By Wendy Wright | July 22, 2014


A key senator admitted today the U.S. Senate will not ratify the UN Disabilities Treaty. Senator Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the committee the treaty does not have the votes to pass the full senate.

A series of amendments voted on by the committee confirmed concerns raised by four-dozen groups – ranging from disability rights to legal and global norms experts – who urged senators not to ratify the UN Disabilities Treaty. In a letter to senators, 48 groups (two joined after publication) caution the treaty will not help Americans here or abroad, but would encroach on Americans’ rights, open the U.S. to foreign intrusion on family issues and abortion, and reduce U.S. prominence as the world leader on disabilities rights.

The committee recommended the treaty by a vote of 10 – 6, along with three amendments agreed to unanimously: to protect parent’s right to homeschool children; to protect U.S. sovereignty; to declare UN committee’s recommendations have no authority to change U.S. laws.

One amendment, introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio, stated the treaty could not be used to promote a right to abortion, repeating the U.S. statement when the treaty was adopted at the UN. It was defeated by pro-abortion senators along party lines.

U.N. treaty committees frequently intrude on countries’ sovereign prerogatives, especially on abortion – regardless of countries’ reservations or amendments.

“The U.S. is the world’s undisputed leader in protecting the rights of persons with disabilities – all without the U.S. ever having ratified the CRPD,” the groups said. The U.S. advises countries on ways to assist people with disabilities and provides foreign aid to help countries implement the Disabilities treaty,

Some claim the treaty places no obligations on the U.S., yet requires other countries to change their laws to accommodate U.S. citizens abroad. But U.S. ratification “will not – and cannot – place any obligation on other countries, least of all to accommodate U.S. citizens,” notes the groups.

Ironically, Sen. Menendez said he couldn’t support the pro-life amendment because, he claimed, it could prevent disabled persons from getting sexual and reproductive services — indicating a belief that the treaty could be used to radically alter U.S. law.

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